Hair 101

Why Is My Hair Not Growing?

First of all, forget about long hair. Focus on healthy hair, when your hair is healthy, it’ll grow.

Secondly, besides hair disorders, different people’s hair grows to different lengths. One of the reasons why black hair, does not grow is because it does not have moisture and nutrients. It needs moisture in order to grow.

Moisture?

Try using a mixture of olive oil (or any light oils like almond, jojoba, tea tree oil, grapeseed) and water and spraying your hair in the morning and in the night before you go to bed.

Keep your hair oiled and avoid using heat.

How often should I wash my hair?

Someone once said, what melanin-rich people have in their skin, is what white people have in their hair. In other words, our natural hair oils do not make it to our tips, which causes dry and damaged hair.

Wash your hair only when it feels dirty, and not before. We wash our hair when it feels dirty, about once or twice a month. Remember that shampoo is for the scalp, to get rid of product build up, and conditioner is for the actual hair, to moisturise and soften it.

Can I Wash My Hair Daily?

Do not strip your hair of oils, by washing it every day. Try washing it every 2 weeks and see if that works for you. If your hair gets itchy before then, wash it once a week.

Wow, What is The Big Chop? And Do I Need To Do It?

Okay, so you’ve been relaxing you hair your whole life and it’s damaged or keeps falling out. The big chop might be needed here. This is when people cut their hair, and go natural, or just cut their hair to start over. The big chop is a new beginning.

Hair also grows faster and healthier once cut. It’s like doing high school over again after university.

(How great would that be??) You have extra knowledge and you can make it a success… the second time round.

What Is Transitioning?

We know, hair is a huge thing. But you are not your hair. You can also grow your hair out, by braiding it, eventually, the new growth, will take over the old relaxed growth (This obviously takes a longer time). This is called transitioning and takes about 6 months to a year for your real texture to show.

I’m New to the Natural Hair Community, HELP!

First things first, you are not alone! We’ve all been through the Oh my God, I-look-like-a-boy, or the

am-I-even-still-feminine, and the I-don’t-know-how-I’m-gonna-go-to-work phase.

Relax. Take a deep breath. We’ve got you.

Here are a few of our fave hair inspiration websites to help you kick it to the curb:

 Curlynikki.com.

 Blackgirllonghair.com

Cool? Now that we’ve got that out of the way:

1. Figure out a hair regimen that works for you.

2. Choose some go-to low-manipulation hair styles or wigs.

3. Have a few turbans for bad hair days (just kidding… I think).

4. Plan ahead so that you don’t end up frustrating yourself.

Black Hair Cannot Grow Long. This Is a Trick… or not, Prove Me Wrong?

Prove you wrong? Well you asked for it. Here, and here, oh and here.

Natural hair is not a competition. Healthy hair is more important than long hair.

So your hair is kinkier than most and doesn’t fall in waves. Don’t worry about things like that and concentrate on getting to know how your hair works.